Learn how to make a basic cashew cream, using just 2 ingredients! Cashew cream is a vegan staple recipe that you can use to make delicious vegan cream sauces and other dairy free recipes…I’ll show you how!

hand pouring cream into a glass jar

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A love of creamy sauces and cheesy flavours has been with me since essentially birth. So adding cashew cream to my toolkit of plant-based recipes was a MAJOR moment for me. 

A basic cashew cream recipe is really just 2 ingredients: raw cashews and salt (plus water!). But it unlocks a whole world of vegan goodness, like the creamy vegan alfredo sauce that I love even more than the original dairy-based version! Oh, and it makes a perfect vegan cream substitute in your fave recipes.

I’m going to be REAL honest with you: I was one of those vegetarians who was like, I could go vegan…except for the cheese. In case you think a dietitian exists on nothing but kale salads and all bran, a lifetime of dietitian potlucks confirms that our favourite foods are in fact cheese, chocolate and red wine (it’s science, ha!).

All these years later, cashew cream is still one of my favorite dairy free swaps and the best part? It’s laughably easy to make. Let me show you how!

Looking for more incredibly delicious plant-based recipes? Grab yourself a copy of my latest cookbook, Plant Magic!

Just a couple tips for rocking this cashew cream recipe

For years, I dutifully soaked my cashews as instructed before blending them…until one day, my laziness got the better of me and I just threw the raw cashews into my vitamix and guess what?? BLENDS LIKE A DREAM!! So, um, no, you don’t have to soak your cashews if you have a high speed blender.

water, cashews and salt in bowls
Cashew cream is SO simple to make! It’s just raw cashews, salt and water.

And yes, you want raw cashews. While salted, roasted cashews blend up just fine, they won’t be as neutral in flavour, making your cream taste like cashews, instead of a neutral vegan cream substitute. In a pinch, roasted will work in a more strongly flavoured recipe, such as a vegan queso, but it will be less delicious as an alfredo or coffee creamer.

cashews in a blender
No soaking, no straining…just pop the cashews, salt and water into the blender
cashew cream in blender
and blend! After a minute, it will look silky smooth like this.

Want a thicker cream? Use ¾ cup water. A thinner one, to replace milk or light coconut milk? Just add water, 2 tablespoons at a time, until you get the consistency you’re looking for. 1 ½ cups of water is probably plenty.

cream in glass jam jar labelled cashew cream
Cashew cream keeps super well for up to 5 days…although I doubt it will last that long!

More dairy free recipe swaps

hand pouring cream into a glass jar

Easiest Ever Basic Cashew Cream Recipe

1 cup
Prep Time: 3 minutes
Total Time: 3 minutes
This basic cashew cream recipe is a creamy and versatile alternative to dairy cream! You need just 2 ingredients and 5 minutes…but the variations are endless. Use this cashew cream to make delicious vegan cream sauces and other dairy free recipes.
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Ingredients

  • 1 ¼ cup raw cashews
  • 1 cup water
  • ½ teaspoon salt, halve for sweet uses

Optional flavourings (sweet or savoury)

  • freshly squeezed lemon juice, adds brightness and tang
  • nutritional yeast, adds cheesy umami
  • garlic or onion powder, for savoury depth and umami
  • fresh herbs, great for making sauces and dressings
  • spices, try curry powder!
  • pure vanilla extract
  • maple syrup
Imperial – Metric

Equipment

  • High Speed Blender you can use a regular blender if you soak first, see note!

Instructions 

  • Place cashews, water and salt in a high speed blender. If you're using any optional flavourings, add those too. Blend on high speed for a full minute until silky and smooth.
  • Store in a jar in the fridge for up to 5 days. It thickens as it sits, but you can loosen it up with a bit of water.

Notes

There are SO many ways to vary this basic recipe! See the post for variations to make it thicker or thinner, and ways to use it.
If your blender isn’t strong, OR if you are trying to blend up a very small amount, like a half cup of cashews, soaking IS better as it will help hydrate the cashews, making them much easier to blend. If soaking at room temperature, you need ideally 4 hours or overnight.
Want to soak cashews quickly? Do a hot soak! Boil the kettle, and once it’s boiled, pour hot water over the cashews in a heatproof boil and let soak for 30 minutes. Soaking also mutes the flavour of cashews even further so the cashew cream will be more neutral.
Cuisine: American
Course: Sauces
Author: Desiree Nielsen, RD

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